Magneto driving mechanism.



RGHTSIVIAN,

W. B. W

rvmaNEm DRIVING MECHANISM.

vAPPUCTION FILED MAY lh $915 wlmi .inne 5. WIT.

' z SHEETSWSHEEI L',

WARNER 4IB. WRIGHTSIVIAN, OF KOKOMO, INDIANA.

MAGNETO DRIVING MECHANISM.

manana.

'new and useful ImprovementsinMagneto Driving Mechanism; and I do declare the Z following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which7it.ap pertains to make and use theisame'. l

This' invention relates generally to electric ignition generators for internal combustion engines but more particularly .to a magneto driving mechanism for such enes. l s When it is desired to start an internal combustion engine from rest by turning the nition magneto, will generate 'a 'spark to fire the explosive mixture- The turning of the engine shaft is, especially with large engines, very laborious, and it is-,therefore desirable that the speed of the ignition magneto should be accelerated with relation to that of the engine shaft in order that a spark may be. generated while the engine shaft is turning at a speed normally insuiii cient to produce such a spark.

The primary object of the present invention is to overcome this difliculty by the provision of a device interposed between the shaft of the engine and' the shaft of the magneto to cause the latter to rotatel at an .accelerated speed with respect to that of the engine shaft when the engine is started from rest, said driving mechanism being of such construction that it'will be automatically thrown out of operation after the engine has reached a. certain speed sufficient to generate the desired spark Without the use of an accelerator.

Another object of the invention is to provide-an attachmentfor the usual magneto of an internal combustion engine so that when the-engine is cranked the mag' neto. will produce the initial spark to start the engine without the use of a battery.

` A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter which is of simple, strong, durable and inexpensive construction, eiiicient and reliable in operation, and well adapted to the purpose for which it is desired.

$peccation of Letters Patent.

Patented June 5, iwi 7.

application mea nay 1s, 1916. `serial No. 98,471.

With these and numerous other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views,

Figure l is a side elevation of a device tion, showing its application to the ignition magneto and shaft of an internal combustion engine.

F ig. 2 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional view through the same;

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken'on the line 3-2-3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows a; .J

Fig. 4 is a similar view taken on the same line, looking in the direction of the arrows b; y

Fig. '5 is a similar view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2, the latch being here shown in its operative position,

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the'latch in its inoperative position;

Fig. 7 is a similar View taken on the line 7-7 o f Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows a; and v I Fig. 8 is a similarview taken on the same line looking in the direction of the arrows b. Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 represents a conventional ignition magneto provided with the usual armature shaft 2 adapted to be rotated by a driving mechanism, now to be Vconstructed in accordance with this invendescribed, said driving mechanism being in turn connectedY to a shaft 3 of an internal combustion engine. l

The above referred to driving mechanism comprises a stationary member vor plate Lil,

which is here shown as having a centrally arranged opening 5 therein,l and being circular in configuration, but it is to be understood that it may be of any Adesired or convenient shape. Extending laterally from nthe. lower fedge of the plate l is an attaching ilo-- its free edge with a notched-out portion 9.

Secured in any suitable manner, but preferably by screws 10, to the outer side of the tween its outer edge andthe inner side of j Athe flange 8. The ring 11 is provided onv its upper edge l.with a stop in the form of a l notch 13, one of the wallsof which is substantially upright, while the other wall is arranged angularly for a purpose to be hereinafter described. I

The reference numeral 14: designates a rotating member or disk, which is, circular in configuration and provided on ,one of its sides with an annular flange 15 which abuts the [iange 8 arraiiged on the plate l, and being provided at its free edge with a notched- `out portion 1G to provide a snug engagement Ywith the same. This disk 14 is provided with a centrally arranged opening 17 for a purpose to be'hereinafter described, and is provided at opposite sides with hubvportions 18 and 19 respectively.L The hub portion 18 is larger in diameter than the hub portion 19, and is provided with suitable means for a firm attachment to one end of the shaft 3 of the above referred to internal combustion engine.

As shown in'Figs. 2 and 7 of the drawings a volute spring 20 surrounds the smaller hub portion 19. and has one of its ends firmly securedin'a slot in the same. The other end of the spring-20 is looped around a pin 21 which extends laterally from one side of a'second rotating member or disk 22, the latter being arranged within' l the housing formed by the plate 4L, the disk 14 and the annular flanges 8 and-15, and havinghub portions 23 'and 24 arranged on its opposite sides. This disk 22 is arranged adjacent thedisk 14 with its axis coincident with that of the latter. The hub portion 24 extends into the opening 17 in the disk 14, and is provided on its opposite outer side with flat portions 25 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.v It may thus be seen that the rotating disks 14C and 22 are operatively connected to each other by an elastic means, whereby should the disk 14 be rotated while the disk 22 is locked against movement or retarded, and then released, the dis'k 22 would, under the tension of'this elastic means or spring 20, be returned to its lnormal position at an accelerated speed..

Slidable transversely on one of the sides of the disk 22 is a latch plate 26,' the latter having a longitudinally extending slot 27 therein through which-extends the aforesaid hub "portion 24. This slot is equal in width to the distance between the flat portion 25 of .the hub portion 241, whereby said latch plate 26 isprevented from rotating with respect to the disk 22 as Will be readily understood.

This latch plate 26 is less in length-than the distance between the opposite sides of the disk 22, and is provided at one of its ends with a laterally extending lug 28, thelatter projecting through a notch A29 arranged in one edgeA of the disk 22 and being adaptedv to be seated in the notch 15E in the ring 11 carried by the stationary plate fl. This lug 28has its opposite edges arranged singularly so that when it is received in the notch 13 it will prevent the latch plate 26 together with the disk 22 from being rotated in'one direction, while it will be readily disengaged from the lug 13 if turned in the opposite direetion. This will be readily understood.

One side of the'disk 1+i is provided with a tripping element in' theform of a cam lug 30, which is adaptedto engage vthe end of the latch plate 2G opposite tothe end carrying the lug 28, and move said latch plate, and cause said lug 28 to become disengaged from the slot 13. Thus it may be seen that after the disk 22 has been retarded or locked against movement for a short period of time while the spring 2O is being putl under tension, it is released, thereby allowing it to rotate to its normal position at an accelerated speed. The cam lug- 30 acts also in the capacity of a stop against which a lug 31 carried by the disk 22 bears."

As shown clearly in the drawings, the end of the latch plate 26 which carries the lug 28 is extended on its oppositev edges to provide projections 32, the projections adjacentthe pin 21 carried by the disk 22 engaging."the same and limiting the movement of said latch plate. These projections 32, together with the lug 28 make this end of the latcl'r l plate heavier than the other end, said other end being preferably-cut angular-ly to more effectively accomplish this result; arrangement it may be seen that when th e magneto shaft 2, and consequently the speed ofthe disk22 has attained a considerable speed, the heavier end of the latch plate 26 will be retained outwardly or in its inopera- -tive position with respect to the notch 13 by centrifugal force, as will-be readily understood.

plate 26 to drop by gravity when the lug 28 carried by the same is opposite the aforesaid notch 13. Upon further turning of the shaft 3 the disk 22 under thetension of the spring 20 will be locked until the cam lug 30 carried by the rotating disk'or member 14 is moved into engagement with the lighter or other By this end of the latch plate 26. This engagement,

as heretofore explained, nieves the latch plate upwardly and disengages the lug 28 from the notch 13, thereby allowing the disk 22 to be. moved to its normal position at a speed suliicientvto generate the necessary spark for firing the explosive miXture in the engine .linders When the enginehas been thus stated, and has reached aspeedsuiicient to generate the vnecessary spark without the aid of the accelerator, the latter is thrown automatically out of operation byl centrifugal action, in the mannerr heretofore explained. l z 'Fron the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying draw- .I and in the minor details of construction may f so be resorted to' without departing from the spirit of `this invention I do not wish to bev limited to fthe construction herein shown and described other than that set forth in the appended' claims. l1

I claim:

l. A device ofthe class described comprising'a rotating disk adapted to be actuated by an internal combustion engine, a'second, rotating disk adapted to be attached to ythe shaft of the magneto of said engine, said disks being arranged adjacent each other and having their axes coinciding, a .volute spring arranged between said disks, one end of said spring being attached to one of said disks and the other end tothe otherdisk, a latch mounted upon one of said disks to slide transversely of the same, a stationary stop arranged in the path of said latch and adapted to be engaged by the same to locli its respective disk againstmovement, and means carried by the other disk for disengaging said latch from said stop when the first disk has been retarded a' predetermined amount.v

2. A device of theclass described comprising a rotating disk adapted to be actuated by an internal combustion engine, a second rotating disk having hub portions extending vfrom the opposite sides thereof and adapted if 'to be attached to the shaft of 'the magneto 0f said engine, a volute spring interposed between said members and having its opposite ends .connected'to the same, a stationary member having a stop thereon, a latch v. plate slidable on one side of oneof said rotatingl members and. having a longitudinal slot therein, to provide for the reception .of one'- of said hub portions, a lug carried by said'iplate and adapted to engage said stop "for locking the last referred to rotating member against movement, and a cam lug carried by the other rotating member and adapted to engage said plate upon the rotation of'said other rotating -member to disengage the first mentionedv lug from said stop.

3. A device of the class described comprising a stationary plate having `an annular flange on one side thereof, a rotating disk spaced from Asaid plate and having an annular flange on one of its sides abutting the flange on said plate, to provide a closed housing, a second rotating disk arranged within said housing, a volute spring interposed between said disk and having its opposite ends connected to the same, a stop arranged on said plate, a latch slidable on the last named disk and adaptedv to engage said stop for locking said last named disk against move-4 ment, and a cam carried by the other disk and adapted to engage said latch when the former disk has been retarded a `pre-determined amount.

4, A device of the class described comprising a pair of rotating members having elastic means operatively connecting the same together, a latch plate slidably mounted on `one'of said members and being heavier at one end than at the other, whereby it is caused to move into an inoperative position by centrifugal force when rotated rapidly, a lug carriedat the heavier end ofsaid plate, a stationary member having a notch in its outer side forreceiving said lug when said plate is rotated slowly, whereby to retard the movement of the last mentioned rotating member, and a cam carried by the other rotating member and adapted to engage the other end of said plate when the former rotating member has been retardedv a pre-determined amount.

lIn testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WARNER B. WRIGHTSMAN. Witnesses:

JOHN D. LE MASTER, CLAUDE S. CROWLEY.` 

